Bright Light
by mrussell26
Summary: Belle meets someone on her long walk who makes her see things differently. Season 2 spoilers.


Summary: A chance encounter with a stranger, sends Belle back to Mr. Gold.

A/N: I don't own anything! Anything you recognize belongs to Once Upon a Time.

Bright Light

Belle sat in the park, the wind had died down, she hoped it was over now. How could he do this? Why was revenge so important? Her thoughts were all over the place, just a few hours ago she was released from the hospital…well not released, she had escaped. What would happen when they found out she was gone? She wished he was there, holding her, protecting her. She shook her head, she had to rely on herself.

"Hi Are you lost?" Startled she turned around, there was a man coming towards her, he was nice looking wearing jeans and a black leather jacket. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you, I just don't recognize you and we do not get many strangers around here. I'm James…or David, I go by either." He said with a smile holding out his hand.

She smiled, he noticed though she had dried tears on her face and the smile did not reach her eyes. "Belle, my name is Belle…just the one name." She tried to laugh but more tears fell. "I'm sorry it's just you caught me at a bad time."

"I know the feeling, I found my wife and daughter finally and now I've lost them again." James still couldn't believe it, it was surreal, Snow White and Emma were lost in another land now he was in charge of Henry…his grandson.

Belle laid her hand on his, "I'm so sorry. I remember you now, I recognize your voice you came into Rumpelsiltskin's shop tonight. I was in the back."

"Why were you there?" James watched as her face crumpled, "Hey it's okay, are you in trouble?"

She shook her head, "No I am in love with an idiot. He promised me! He promised me that he would not kill Regina and he found a loophole and did it anyway!"

James figured it out, "You are in love with Mr. Gold…or Rumpelstiltskin I guess." She nodded, "I love him so much! I cannot stand not being with him but…but he loves power and revenge more than me. How can I trust him?"

He sat there in silence as she told him her story, how her father had made a deal with Rumpelstiltskin for protection against the Ogres, how she had fallen in love, how he had given her a rose and made her laugh. How he had caught her when she fell off a ladder.

"He said you died." She looked startled, "He wanted me to do a quest for him, I asked him what he knew about True Love and he said, "Not as much you perhaps but not so little as you might think. He said that you were a bright spot amidst an ocean of darkness. For the first time I felt truly sorry for him. He was still mourning you, I could see it in his eyes." James touched wiped away a fresh stream of tears, "This past Valentine's Day, he told me I was lucky because I had a woman who loved me, he said love is like a delicate flame, and once it's gone it's gone forever. He was still missing you."

"Why are you telling me this?" Belle wiped her tears, she hadn't known, she hadn't know that he had thought she was dead. His words came back to her, _"Belle, you're alive."_

James smiled, "Because no matter what he has done, he loves you. He is not lying about that. I assume that Regina locked you away somewhere, that is why he went after her." She nodded, "Honestly I might have done the same thing for my wife."

"Thank you for helping me realize how much he loves me." She kissed his cheek, "I hope you find your wife and daughter soon."

"Thanks Belle, I am happy to meet a new friend." James knew Snow would love her, he hoped they could meet soon, so that Belle would have more friends.

The shop on the corner was quiet, she saw him sitting at the spinning wheel. He was staring at her cup, the cup she had broken. Her heart melted, she could not stay mad at him.

"I didn't know, I didn't know that you thought I was dead. She told me that you did not want me anymore. She said that you were glad I was gone."

He stood up, "If I had known, if I had known for even a second that you were alive I would have looked everywhere, I would have taken her castle apart to find you." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, "I love you sweetheart. I was too scared and I pushed you away but I loved you so much."

"I was your bright light amidst an ocean of darkness." She said with a teary smile as she kissed him.


End file.
